Clifton is in Mesa County, Colorado in the western part of the state about 259 miles southwest of Boulder, 252 miles southwest of Aurora and 236 miles southwest of Arvada.

The accident happened on the westbound I-70 at mile marker 35 in Clifton just before noon. Several miles before the crash site in DeBeque Canyon, the trucker hit a guard rail and was driving erratically.

About 10 minutes later Colorado State Patrol received a call that the tanker truck had crashed in the median and rolled over at mile marker 35 in Clifton.

The 52 year-old trucker was ejected from the cab and was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld pending notification to relatives.